The Davies Hypothesis

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Wednesday, 12 August 2009

MP for Cardiff North, Julie Morgan hasrecently introduced a Private Members Billinto the House of Commons, aiming toreduce the minimum age for voting from 18to 16.I don’t know about you but I’m having torethink my attitude to both democracy andcapitalism in the light of what has beenhappening recently. Let’s start with democracy.Gordon Brown insists that the aim ofthe coalition invasion of Iraq was to rid thecountry of a dictator and install democracyfor all its people.By this I suppose he means to introducea system of democracy where pledgesmade in a manifesto are not binding (like areferendum on the Lisbon Treaty); where,when asked questions on Government policy,its is not necessary to give a straightanswer, or even an answer at all (PMQs);where when a majority of the people favourthe death penalty for some offences suchas proven rape and murder of young children,the Government resolutely declinesto listen.At the recent Norwich By-Election,despite all the recent scandals and evidenceof Labours poor handling of theeconomy, (despite their protestations thatthe UK is better placed in the recessionthan most), 20% of the electorate still votedfor them. There are some constituencies inthe UK where it would be true to say that ifthe Labour party put up a chimpanzeeagainst a Conservative, the ape would win,because the voters, like their fathers andtheir fathers before them, wouldn’t elect a‘Toff’. This is a bit naughty I admit, but itserves to make my point; that some peoplevote without having a clue as to the issuesinvolved. Should this disqualify their vote?It’s not only a problem in the UK. Look atThailand, a country where they have hadcountless coups in the last thirty yearsbecause the electorate stubbornly refuse tovote in the right party. Most famously, thelast one, involving Thaksin Shinawatr,came about because the Prime Ministerwith a hardcore base in the rural north ofthe country was hated by the intelligentsiaand civil service. It was alleged thatThaksin, bribed the peasants to vote forhim using public money and promises toimprove their lot. When in power, it isalleged he abandoned the poor andshamelessly used his position to line hisown pockets as well as those of his family.He was accused of putting his own interestsabove those of the country and is nowexiled.I’m not saying this is what would happenin Iraq or Afghanistan, but I’m not hopeful.The people will vote for that party whichpromises to give them the most for nothing,even if they can’t subsequently deliver; it’snothing more than human nature.This brings me back to the voting age.Kids as young as sixteen have usuallybeen nowhere and done nothing; their limitedexperiences making no useful contributionsto the debate.Why, therefore, give them the vote? Whynot make it 14 or 12?Is this Bill before Parliament, therefore,nothing more than a Labour ploy to garnermore votes on the basis that theseteenagers are more likely to vote for thesocialists?I only ask because I want to know!Have you got the answer?Let us know at:letters@thereader.es

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Hello & welcome to the Blog/Web pages of Kevill Davies, author of international best seller, 'APSARAS'.

On these pages we show current thoughts on a variety of topics

Information on all the books written by the author can be found plus links to the author's Manchester City blogsite and his website. This is being constructed to include travelogues and details of the mini golf games I have invented: 2-Ball Golf and Titan.